celebrating our
DAIRY INDUSTRY Thursday, June 23, 2016 A Special Supplement to the West Side Index & Gustine Press-Standard
Electronic Cow Collars Provide Wealth of Information Dairy Economic Outlook Goat Dairy Focuses on Attention to Detail Gustine Dairy Continues to Expand, Evolve Veterinary Practice a Key Member of Local Dairy Teams
2 | CELEBRATING OUR LOCAL DAIRY INDUSTRY
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
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Electronic cow collars provide wealth of information CROWS LANDING Evolving technology is improving efficiency at Moonshine Dairy, where the herd has been equipped with the bovine equivalent of “fitbits.” The electronic cow collars purchased about a year and a half ago are providing information on the activity and rumination of each cow - which is extrapolated into computerized reports telling dairy owners Rich and Jacquie Dyt which animals are ready to be bred and which may be falling ill. That information allows the dairy to identify with greater certainty which cows are in heat, and to know which cows may be encountering health problems well before symptoms are visible. “It is pretty revolutionary,” said Rich. “The first thing every morning, (the system) spits out two reports, one with the cows that need to be bred and
one that identifies cows that may be sick.” On a dairy that milks 2,000 cows three times a day, pinpointing potential health problems through the use of technology rather than waiting for full onset of illness is a significant benefit. Dairy workers still have to walk the cows and look at them, the Dyts said, but the technology “gives you the cows to look at.” When a cow is flagged for the potential onset of illness, Rich explained, the first course of action is supportive therapy with a mix of pro-biotics and minerals. That supportive care is often enough to ward off the health issue without requiring the use of antibiotics, he added. “We don’t know what is wrong with her, but we will give her supportive care,” Rich said. “Then we will look in the afternoon to see if her rumination has picked up or not, and
it usually has from that. If it hasn’t, then we will go to Plan B.” Moonshine Dairy invested about $360,000 to purchase the collars and system - which the Dyts say has paid dividends. “It seemed like good technology,” said Rich. “We jumped on board, and we have been very happy with it.” The technology is such, the Dyts said, that each of the sealed units develops baseline information unique to the cow wearing the device. New animals entering the herd are outfitted with a collar about six weeks before they calve, the Dyts noted. “That allows them to have their own baseline,” Rich told Mattos Newspapers. “Every cow is a little different. Each collar needs to figure out what that cow’s normal is.... when it is not normal, then it flags it.”
Each unit has a life of five to seven years, the Dyts said. The rumination and activity collars were devel-
oped by SCR by Allflex, which is a company based in Israel. The company became part of the Allflex Group in 2014.
Brandt Kreuscher, dairy business manager for Allflex USA and SCR by All-
See COLLARS | PAGE 4
Cows on the Moonshine Dairy are equipped with electronic devices which monitor the activity and rumination signal breeding cycles and the possible onset of illness.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 flex, said the technology was initially developed to detect cows that were about to ovulate. The health reporting component which followed, he said, “is just as important as the reproductive function.” The true value of the system, he told Mattos Newspapers, is not in the data collection but in transforming that date to useful information which dairy producers can in turn apply to their herd management. The system in place at Moonshine Dairy monitors the number of minutes each cow ruminates (chews her cud) each day, as well as the cow’s activity, including directional motion. “Rumination is a voluntary behavior, which is key to the whole thing,” Kreuscher said. “Cows tend to ruminate when
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
they are at ease.” A cow in estrus is preoccupied and does not ruminate as much as usual but her activity increases, he explained. Low rumination and low activity can signal impending sickness. That is a basic explanation for a complex system which relies on detailed algorithms to analyze what is happening with each cow, Kreuscher noted. “We consider the degree of current and recent changes for each animal to better represent the likelihood that a rise or drop in either parameter means what we think at a glance,” he explained. “We tell the dairy the strength of the heat, and the severity of the illness,” Kreuscher told Mattos Newspapers. Each cow’s collar delivers a report to a central computer every 20 minutes, which contains information on rumination and activity in two-minute blocks. “We have 10 sets of data
points every 20 minutes,” said Kreuscher. The ai24 system in use at Moonshine Dairy includes the monitors on the cows, readers and software. The cow collars are only beginning to be adopted by California dairy producers, Kreuscher commented, but he expects the technology to become wide-spread. “We will look back in 10 years and wonder how we managed dairy without them,” he predicted. “The monitoring is so efficient.” In a way, Kreuscher reflected, “it gives the cows the ability to talk to us.” The Dyts said they believe the technology not only improves efficiency but allows them to better care for the herd on their rural Crows Landing dairy. “Cows are built to not show illness. They are good at hiding illness,” Rich commented. “This makes me feel like we are doing a better job for our animals.”
A salute to dairy farmers
Moonshine Dairy owners Rich and Jacquie Dyt, pictured with two of their four daughters, Ellie, left, and Anneke.
The electronic monitoring system, displayed by Rich Dyt, delivers information on each cow in the herd at Moonshine Dairy.
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During dairy month, we salute our local dairy farmers and pledge our support to this upstanding industry. Keep up the good work!
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CELEBRATING OUR LOCAL DAIRY INDUSTRY | 5
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Struggles continue for dairy industry Tough economic times are continuing for California’s dwindling number of dairy producers. Just two years after the industry saw milk prices shoot to record highs in a welcome recovery from a prolonged downturn, prices are once again well below the cost of production. The recovery of 2014 was much needed but brief, producers say, and by last year the milk prices had plunged once again. So far, 2016 has been an even more challenging year on dairies across the state. “2015 was a difficult year, but after 2014 was a little easier to stomach,” commented Annie AcMoody, director of economic analysis for Modesto-based Western United Dairymen. “Now in the second year of negative margins, things are starting to get a lot more difficult.” Last June, the industry was anticipating the possibility of price recovery by the end of the year. Instead, AcMoody told Mattos Newspapers, the economic climate not only persisted but actually worsened. This spring, she said, milk prices paid California producers have been in the low $12 range per
hundred pounds of milk. That figure is down about $2 from the same time a year ago - and $10 from a prosperous 2014. “May (prices) have not been released yet, but it could dip under $12,” AcMoody said recently. Those prices are well below the cost of production, she noted, which in the fourth quarter 2015 (the most recent figures available) stood at $19.74 per hundredweight. Producers have been helped somewhat by moderating feed prices, she noted, but have also seen costs in other areas of operation increase. Global market forces are perhaps the strongest of the many forces impacting California’s milk market, AcMoody remarked. “There is an oversupply of dairy products globally,” stated AcMoody, adding that milk prices in many competing nations are lower than in the United States. “Our exports have suffered and imports have increased, leading to an oversupply here in the U.S. We’re just sending less overseas and there is more coming in.” Milk production is down in California, but has increased elsewhere in the United States, she added, contributing
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provided by AcMoody. No immediate recovery appears to be on the horizon. AcMoody said she anticipates the state’s overbase milk price to possibly rally to the $15 range by the end of the year. “Even if we get to that, it is not enough. I don’t think the recovery will be until the first part of 2017,” she predicted. “Unfortunately, it is going to be a slow recovery. It does look like we are at the bottom, which is the silver lining, but that doesn’t bring much good news to producers with such a slow outlook for recovery.”
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THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
West Side goat dairy focuses on attention to detail Not all West Side dairies are of the bovine variety. A number of goat dairies are operating in the area as well, helping meet growing demand for goat milk that is delivered to consumers in fluid form, cheese, powdered products and butter. Gustine residents Bill and Connie Gomes have been in the business for some 20 years, with a keen eye for detail as they oversee operations on the rural Stevinson facility. Happenstance brought the couple into the goat dairy business. Bill was a driver for Meyenberg Goat Milk in Turlock, picking up milk to delivery to the creamery. He started helping out at the dairy in 1996 when the owner faced health issues.....one thing led to another, and the Gomes’ found themselves in the YFC General 2014_Layouta1 goat dairyAdbusiness
year later. “We took that over, and then acquired one that was going out of business,” Connie explained. “We merged the two, and built it from there.” Today, the operation has around 800 goats and is milking about 500. At its peak, the operation had more than 1,000 goats. Many of the same keys to running a successful bovine dairy apply to goat dairies, the couple noted, including herd health, genetics, overall management and nutrition. But goats differ significantly in some key ways - including seasonal breeding and milk production peaks. The Gomes have pushed the envelope in their efforts to defy the industry norm when it comes to improving production and breeding, with mixed re3/11/14 sults. 9:46 AM Page 1
“If they say something is not possible, our challenge is to make it possible,” Connie emphasized. Efforts to breed goats outside the normal cycle did not go as well as hoped. “They have to be within their own natural cycle,” Connie shared. “Now we start as early as we can in July and August, and push it as late as we can, into February and March.” The couple was more successful in accelerating the process of bringing kids into production. “I want them to breed at 80 pounds, which is six or seven months, and to kid at 12-14 months,” Connie said. “We are able to do that in 12 months, where a lot of dairies are at 14, 16, 18 months. That comes from being very focused.” Proper care for the newborn kids is essential, she
See GOAT DAIRY | PAGE7
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Bill Gomes is pictured in the milking barn of his family’s goat dairy.
CELEBRATING OUR LOCAL DAIRY INDUSTRY | 7
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
GOAT DAIRY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 stressed. “It affects the production, and our profit margin,” Connie told Mattos Newspapers. The kids are weaned at 2.5 times their birth weight, and then fed with the goal of putting on 10 pounds a month until reaching 80 pounds. “We have discovered that letting them be older (before breeding) does not make them more productive,” she added. “They will continue to grow up to a year after they (first kid),” Bill noted. “The first year they milk they are still growing.” Sound nutrition is a critical element to the success of the dairy, the Gomes’ said. The animals also need dry spaces to rest and to eat. Goats also prefer fans to misters for cooling. They are not at all fond of water other than that in their drinking trough,
Bill noted. Genetics are another key management factor. The Gomes’ use only proven bucks in their breeding program, and have grown their closed herd from within. They are currently in the process of rebuilding their herd after culling sharply - a process which is hastened because each goat will deliver two to three kids. The males are sold, while the females are added to the herd. The herd is comprised of five different breeds and a variety of cross-breds. Ultimately, Connie said, production rather than pedigree is the most important factor. “We have a mixed herd,” she explained. “We are in the business of producing milk. If it is a successful milker, that is what we are after.” The attention to detail on the goat dairy extends to herd health. If something is amiss with an animal, the Gomes’ said, immediate action is
required if the animal is to be successfully treated. Some but not all commonly-held beliefs surrounding goats are based in fact. Not true is the belief that goats will eat anything, Connie said, as in fact they are extremely selective eaters. “They might play with a tin can, but they won’t eat it,” she noted. On the other hands, the goats due live to up their reputation as escape artists. And, goats are extremely social animals that are quite capable of showing their displeasure if unhappy. On the Gomes dairy, the goats kid together, eat together, grow together and are milked together in groups that develop their own social hierarchy. The goat milk goes to the Meyenberg facility for processing. Goat milk, Connie said, is increasingly popular because it is easier to digest than cow’s milk because of a lower acid content. It
is also an alternative for those who are lactose intolerant. While demand is growing, she said, providing a
consistent supply is a challenge because of the goats’ seasonal nature. The Gomes have two full-time and one part-time
employees who handle many of the chores on the
See GOAT DAIRY | PAGE 8
Connie Gomes tends to young goats on the dairy she operates with husband Bill Gomes.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 dairy. “When I could do all the work myself I enjoyed it more,” Bill shared. “I enjoy the animals.” The Gomes’ two children both worked on the dairy while they were growing up. “The work ethic that comes with farm life proved valuable to our children. The kids helped out, and that is an experience they remember,” Connie reflected. “Our goal is to get our grandchildren out here so they can learn that work ethic as well.”
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Gustine dairy continues to expand, evolve A rural Gustine dairy purchased by its current owners 13 years ago has continued to evolve and expand. BarMac Dairy was acquired with relatively short-term intentions while its owners Brad and Rachael Nightengale completed the permit process to start their own dairy in the Chowchilla area. But the Nightengales, who purchased the dairy south of Gustine in partnership with Rachael’s parents Marty and Carolyn De Jager, wound up putting down roots in the area rather than developing the Chowchilla operation. “On Rachael’s side of the family, every uncle, brother and cousin is involved in the dairy business in Chowchilla. We were going to get a permit and build there alongside the rest of them, but permits were hard to get and
expensive,” Brad Nightengale explained. “This place came up for sale, and it had the quota and the cows. We thought we would buy this and not have to take the cows from an uncle’s dairy (to start their own).” The Nightengales started cleaning up the dairy and upgrading the facilities....and developed an affinity for Gustine in the process. They have raised their three children - Bradley, Jenna and Grace - while growing the dairy operation. Today, 2,200 cows are milked twice daily in the dairy’s new 60-stall milking barn - one of many improvements the Nightengales have added since purchasing the dairy in 2003. The operations started with 1,000. “We have grown about 1,200 cows without really buying any,” Nightengale
explained. “It has been inhouse breeding and slow growth over 13 years.” In addition to the milking facility, the Nightengales have added a barn, done extensive concrete work and added soakers for cow comfort. Management demands have grown along with the herd, Nightengale said, and to help keep pace he hired a herdsman, Edgar Navarro, about three years ago. “I’m still here every day, but as you get bigger a lot of times you have to take your boots off and spend more time in the office,” Nightengale stated. “You are delegating lists of cows to move, or treat. It is big enough now to where I can’t be as handson as I used to be in doing everything to every cow. You have to have good
See NIGHTENGALE | PAGE 11
BarMac Dairy owner Brad Nightengale is pictured with son Bradley in the dairy’s milking barn. The younger Nightengale hopes to join the family dairy upon completion of college.
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THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
NIGHTENGALE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
employees that you trust, and who you can delegate important things to. I was used to doing everything on my own, but it gets to the point where you don’t have enough time. You have to make sure that you have a good group of guys who have your back.” One innovation which Navarro brought in was the use of electronic identification tags, implanted in an ear of each cow. With the use of a hand-held computer/scanner, workers can quickly identify which cows are due for shots or vet checks, should be moved to another pen or are in the wrong pen. Information from vet checks, for example, is immediately fed into the system. “You don’t spend an hour entering everything (by hand) afterward,” Nightengale related. The scanners can also help workers quickly locate an animal that is in
the wrong pen - which previously required scanning ear tag numbers until the right cow was found. “A lot of times it might only be one cow, but it might take you 45 minutes to find her,” he noted. Nightengale, a self-described “clipboard guy,” has become a convert to the new technology. “If you are out there giving shots and see a sick cow, you can punch it up right there and see the record of that cow. You can do three or four tasks all at one time versus walking the cows four or five times,” he explained. The means cows can more quickly be back in their pens relaxing - which improves milk production. Nutrition and genetics are key factors to success in the dairy business. Most of the silage is grown on the 1,000 acres of cropland that is part of the BarMac Dairy, and the majority of the hay needed comes from De Jager farms in Chowchilla. Some commodities are also purchased from
local growers. Typically, Nightengale said, a dairy that could grow most of its own feed supply would operate at greater efficiency. “The last couple of years, silage was high and it definitely paid to have your own ground,” he said by way of example. “This year, the silage went from $50 or $60 a ton to $18. It was cheaper to buy it (than to grow it).” Economics are not the only consideration, however. “It is not always cheaper, but at least you have the quality and you know what you are feeding your cows. You know when you are going to harvest it and put it in the feed yard,” Nightengale commented. “We try to keep the quality of feed the same throughout the year. It is important to be consistent with the rations. Ultimately, you have to feed your cows and knowing that you are going to have a re-
Herdsman Edgar Navarro, left, pictured with Brad Nightengale and his son Bradley, has been a valuable addition to the family-owned BarMac Dairy south of Gustine.
See NIGHTENGALE | PAGE 2
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NIGHTENGALE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
liable supply is a security blanket.” Genetics are also given careful consideration. Nightengale said he looks for bulls with a proven track record in producing calves with sound structure, good udders, longevity and fertility. “I also throw in a few bulls that are really high in terms of fat and protein. My butterfat content is typically a littler higher than many Holstein herds,” he noted, adding that the content brings a premium milk price. Nightengale said young stock was moved to offsite ranches to make room for expansion of the milking herd. He hopes to increase the number of cows milked daily by another 200-300, which would require moving more young stock off site. With milk prices in a prolonged downturn and the growth rate of the
herd slowing as the dairy approaches its maximum size, Nightengale said, the herd is culled more aggressively to weed out low-producers. “Every month you are having new heifers come in. If there are 100 new ones coming in, you have to move 100 out,” explained Nightengale, who said his current annual cull rate is about 35 percent. He said average production per cow is about 9.5-10 gallons per day. “For how we feed them and what we do, that is good,” Nightengale reflected. “We feed our cows well, but not with super, super fancy feed. We try to get more milk out of them by cow comfort, keeping the corrals groomed and raked daily and keeping everything clean.” Being as efficient as possible is always critical, Nightengale said, but even more so when milk prices are down, as they are once again. “2014 was a good year, but that just pretty much allowed us to bail our-
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
selves out from prior years, pay back some debt, get some feed equity and make some improvements,” Nightengale told Mattos Newspapers. “In 2015 you could break even and maybe make a little bit. This year has just been a train wreck.” He said he does not dwell on the low milk prices. “I don’t look at the daily prices, because I don’t want it to alter the way I take care of my cows,” Nightengale said. “I just try to run this place every day the same, regardless of whether we are making money or losing money. If a cow is sick, you still have to treat her.” Despite the challenging economic climate, Nightengale said, he remains optimistic. “You have to have faith that it will turn around. It always has,” he reflected. “This has provided a good life for me and my family. For all the negatives, (a dairy) is a great place to raise your family.”
Cows lined up for feeding on the BarMac Dairy.
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THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Veterinarian key member of local dairy teams A typical day at the “office” for veterinarian Sergio Pereira sees him crisscrossing the valley in his well-equipped pickup truck which doubles as mobile clinic, visiting an average of four dairies before his work is done. Pereira started the Azores Veterinary Practice four years ago. Based out of his Patterson home, the business caters primarily to the valley’s dairy producers. In that role, he views himself not only as a veterinary practitioner called in for herd checks, vaccines and the occasional emergency but a member of the overall dairy management team who advocates for pro-active, preventive measures to promote good herd health. That approach, Pereira said, reflects an emerging trend in the role that veterinarians play on dairies. “Before, a vet was called a lot for emergencies and herd checks,” he remarked. “In the last five years I have seen the role of the veterinarian change to more of a consultant and team member. We advise them on day-to-day decisions, and spend a lot of time discussing what (preventative measures) are available. I would rather prevent illness than treat.
“We do a lot of consultation now. Usually, after a herd check, we sit down and look at the number of cows pregnant and pregnancy rates,” Pereira shared. “Dairymen have nice computer programs that we can pull reports from to look at different trends and help us avoid less positive situations.” The array of services offered by Azores Veterinary Practice ranges from herd checks for pregnancy and vaccination programs to treatment of illnesses and assistance with artificial insemination protocols. To the greatest degree possible, Pereira emphasized, he avoids the use of antibiotics - which if used can trigger meat and milk withholding times for the animal involved. He is an advocate of vaccine programs - while acknowledging that some dairy producers have a tendency to reduce vaccinations as a cost-saving measure in tough times. “A vaccine is something that you don’t see the results from.....it is insurance,” Pereira explained. He said he advises against cutting corners to shave costs when milk prices are low, but acknowledges that ultimately the decision is that of the dairyman. “At the end of the day, I
John & Florie Nunes office: 854.6325 mobile: 209.495.1964
Dairy owners represent the majority of clients for veterinarian Sergio Pereira, owner of Azores Veterinary Practice.
am not their banker. I do try not to cut, or if we are going to we do it intelligently so we won’t have a compromised herd,” he stated. Azores Veterinary Practice has two veterinarians and a large animal technician on the road at all times, Pereira said. The practice serves about 40 dairies, primarily in Merced and Stanislaus counties but as far away as
Stockton and Madera. The more common health problems Pereira encounters on dairies are mastitis, hoof problems, digestive disorders and reproductive issues. Mastitis is the most common problem, he said, one that is combated through sound herd management, vaccines and overall cleanliness. “There are several types
of mastitis, and several ways that we can prevent mastitis,” the veterinarian related. Maintaining healthy digestive systems is one key to overall health, Pereira added. “Cows in my opinion have the most complicated GI system. It doesn’t take much to alter the digestive system, but it takes a lot to repair it,” he explained.
“Without a good digestive system milk production and reproduction are also affected.” Whatever preventative steps can be taken to keep cows healthy will pay dividends, he told Mattos Newspapers. “It doesn’t take much for an animal to get sick, but it
See VETERINARIAN | PAGE 14
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VETERINARIAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
takes a while for the animal to recover milk production after it has gotten better,” Pereira sated. “While they are recovering, they are costing the dairyman money.” While his profession involves the treatment of animals, Pereira reflected, an effective veterinarian must be good with people as well. He said a veterinarian must determine the needs of the client and gain the trust of not only the dairy owner but the employees in the barns - who will most likely be the ones employing the management practices and handling medications necessary for sound herd health. He said he has developed specific protocols outlining appropriate treatment alternatives for a variety of conditions and illnesses, and tries to train new employees in administering those protocols. Pereira was raised in the
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Azores, where his father had a dairy, and has relatives in the dairy business in the Gustine area. “My uncles knew that I always wanted to be a vet. We talked about me coming over and coming to vet school, and in 1999 I decided to give it a try,” he shared. He attended Merced College and later UC Davis. Pereira then attended veterinary school at St. George’s University on the Caribbean island of Grenada, where he met his wife, fellow veterinarian Maria Rodriguez, and did a clinical rotation at Kansas State University. He worked for a private practice for six years before starting Azores Veterinary Practice in 2012. The practice is affiliated with True Blue Veterinary Hospital in Newman and Apricot Veterinary Clinic in Patterson, which Pereira and his wife purchased two years ago.
See VETERINARIAN | PAGE 16
Veterinarian Sergio Pereira’s practice focuses largely on serving San Joaquin Valley dairies.
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Dairy represents 90 percent or more of the Azores Veterinary client base, although Pereira does also care for other large animals.
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
“I always dreamed of being a mixed animal practitioner and doing a little bit of everything, but the way the industry is structured and with my background I decided to specialize and work mostly with dairy,” he explained. Pereira has found his
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